A Beater's Life
by MuggleBeene
Summary: James Potter has it all; a famous name, individual fame and wealth as a professional Quidditch player, women, all the things that he always wanted. But can a person really have it all? With an international pop star ex-girlfriend, throngs of adoring fans and his face in all the tabloids, is that all there is to life? Or is there more? Part of the Professor Muggle series.
1. Pure Galleons

**Chapter 1: Pure Galleons**

_London, 11 August, 2024_

Harry Potter was not happy. He stood outside the flat, debating on whether or not to let himself in, as Ginny was determined that he find James and bring him to her third annual fortieth birthday party. All of the family was going to be there, Al was even coming in off of the set of that crazy movie…it was supposed to be a big family occasion, and his oldest son was not where he was supposed to be, as usual. Harry knocked on the door for the third time.

"James, come on, son. You're over an hour late for setup."

As there was no answer Harry closed his eyes, sighed, and opened the door with a quick _alohamora_. Upon entering the flat several things caught his eye right away; the shades were drawn, the place was in a state that would send Ginny and Molly into the Janus Thickey Ward at St. Mungo's, and he sincerely hoped that wasn't his son's light pink bra on the back of the chair. Trying to turn off his Auror crime scene skills of noticing almost everything Harry walked down the hallway to his son's bedroom, opened the partially closed door and stood next to his son. He glanced over at the other occupant of the bed and took out his wand; with a quick wave the sheet covered the bare arse of the girl, but not before Harry caught the Puddlemere United crest tattoo on her left bum cheek.

He softly shook his son's arm. "James. James, wake up son. Jamie, get up."

With a blink and a rub over his eye with the back of his hand James Potter slowly started to regain consciousness. After a few more blinks he realized that several things had happened. He'd overslept by a mile, his father was in his bedroom and last night's company was still in bed with him. And, most importantly, it was his mum's birthday. He was dead.

"Hi Dad. Overslept, huh?"

Harry took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "James, pull yourself together and…get her some clothes, please. Is she coming today? Introducing her to the family and your…"

"What? No, no…no no no no no." James sat up and pulled the sheet around his waist, causing part of the sheet to slide off of the other occupant. "Give me a minute?" After Harry left James got up, put on some underwear and a pair of jeans and then went over to the other side of the bed. "Um, Chelsey is it? Christie? Damn." He shook her arm gently. "Hey, time to wake up; I've got to go to a thing."

The girl rolled over and did not seem at all concerned that the top half of her body was unclothed. "Oh good morning mister. I didn't sleep much but it was a verrrrrry good night." She leaned towards him expecting a kiss, but was sadly disappointed. "What's wrong, Jimmy?"

James took out one of his least favorite t-shirts from the dresser and handed it to her. "I'm afraid I overslept, I have an appointment today that I can't…my…listen, you've got to go now. Sorry."

She took the t-shirt from him and slid it over her head. "I could go with you, just have to stop by my flat and…"

For a moment James saw exactly what would happen if he brought Miss Random-Bird-From-The-Club to his mum's party; there would be pictures, questions from his parents, questions from his Gran, hopefully no questions from his sister, and…it was too excruciating to think of, just like the pain that seemed to permeate his head. Too many firewhiskey shots, that had to be it. "No, sorry, family only thing. And I'm horribly late. The Floo's been disconnected because of crazy Quidditch fans so I'm afraid you'll have to either Apparate back to your flat or catch the Knight Bus or…Muggle taxi? I've got some Muggle money…"

The woman's demeanor changed instantly. "But Jimmy…you said…and I wouldn't have to wear those if you hadn't ripped my dress off. It was sooo sexy. Maybe we could…"

James handed her a pair of his training shorts and headed to the door. "Sorry, can't be helped. Send me an owl to the Puddlemere Headquarters, all my mail goes through my agent. He'll make sure to get it to me." After the woman had the training shorts on James took her by the arm and helped guide her out of the room. For a moment he panicked, thinking his father will be there waiting for them, but instead he found that the woman's clothing was repaired and folded nicely on the kitchen table. The pink bra was right on top. After she stepped out of the door, turned to him and attempted to say something more James simply shut the door quietly and put his back against it.

Harry walked around the corner folding his invisibility cloak. "James Sirius, we've talked about being responsible…"

"I know, Dad, I know! I did the charms, even used one of those Muggle…"

Harry leaned his head back and rolled his eyes for a moment and then focused on his son. "Don't want to know the details. Do you know what time it is?" Harry squinted at his son. "What in Merlin's name is that on your neck?" With a few steps he closed the distance and pulled his son's t-shirt away slightly. "Godric. Perma-Stick lipstick. I shouldn't be surprised, since it matches the other thing I found." Harry handed James a piece of clothing.

James unfolded the garment and saw a perfect representation of the girl's lips on the front of his boxers, the ones from the previous night. "Uh, Dad…we're not telling Mum about this, are we?"

"Are you daft? Of course not. You will be on your best, and I mean _best_ behaviour today. No teasing Al and especially Lily. No pranks with George…" Harry ran a hand through his hair. "James, after all the talks we've had, you know how girls will take advantage of your celebrity. What would your coach say about this?"

"Good on you?"

"James."

"Right, I know. Have to watch yourself, girls will try all sorts of things to…but Dad I didn't take advantage of her, if anything it was the other way around. I've had the lecture, Dad. Now I need to find a…"

Harry handed him a small, orange vial. "Figured if you were still asleep you'd need one of these."

James took the hangover potion, quaffed it in one go, and nodded. "Yeah, it was a night, that's for sure. Ok, let me take a quick shower and I'll be your house elf."

A few moments later James, fully dressed, exited the flat behind his father. When he went to close the door he noticed a pale pink bra hanging from his doorknob. He quickly grabbed the bra, stuffed it into his pocket, and as soon as he and his father made it down to the street the two of them Apparated away.

-ooo-

To the Wizarding press the biggest story was always going to be, hands down, Harry Potter. He was the Boy Who Lived, the Dispatcher of the Dark Lord and Head of the Aurors. He was also, in the words of one exasperated editor, 'a sodding ghost' who was never in their paparazzi shots. Getting pictures of Harry Potter or his family was always difficult, as they guarded their privacy with masterful ease.

With one exception; James Potter, eldest son and Beater for Puddlemere United, was worth quadruple his weight in Galleons. This was probably true if one believed the rumors of what resided in the Potter vaults at Gringotts, but to the editors he was a walking, talking, drinking, womanizing guarantee of at least a two page spread in every edition, if not the cover. The night after he made his first appearance in a Quidditch match, as a substitute for an injured player, was almost the gold standard for every gossip magazine editor. The pictures of James Potter, son of the one and only Harry Potter, with Talia Rauge, the hot new singer, were almost too good to be true. Talia was already a mainstay of the press, with her voluptuous curves, bright blue hair and almost-there clothes, but for her to be caught canoodling with James Potter? Pure Galleons.

Their relationship had been documented in the press, mostly in the celebrity magazines, and if the saying 'the course of true love never runs smooth' has a grain of truth it was proven by James and Talia. Scenes of breakups, make-ups, concerts, Quidditch matches and other shots filled the pages. Unfortunately for the photographers Talia and James never appeared in anything with his famous family. Much speculation was given over to whether she would be Mrs. James Potter, and how the international pop star would get along with his family, but nothing ever came of it. For all the press knew he'd never introduced her to his family.

After the last breakup James had been spotted out and about with a series of very pretty witches, but never more than once. The article questioning whether James Potter was a 'serial dating playboy' was a best seller, and gave young witches some hope; maybe they could be the one to finally snag James Potter.

Needless to say Mrs. Harry Potter, James' mum, was not thrilled with any of this.

-ooo-

Thankfully the first person James ran into on prep duty was his brother. Al was stringing up fairy lights in the trees with his wand, carefully anchoring them into the branches. After finishing the last bit of the strand he was working on Al turned to see his brother approaching.

"James! Where the bloody hell have you been? Mum's been in a state and I got some of the spillover."

"Overslept." James pulled out his wand and levitated one of the strands of fairy lights. "Long night."

"Right." Al shook his head. "What was this one's name? Or was it the pop star again?"

"Talia?" James looked as if he'd been punched in the plums. "Godric, no." After levitating the strand up to the tree he looked over to his brother somewhat sheepishly. "Chelsey. I think."

Al laughed. "I'm so proud of you."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. No matter how much I muck up it can't be as bad as you. Makes me look good."

"Piss off." James made a face. "Got a job yet or are you still sponging off of Mum and Dad?"

"Hey, I got a job." Al straightened his shoulders. "Starts filming in Wales in two weeks."

"Really?" James' eyes brightened. "So you really got a role, then? What is it, leading man? The best friend?"

"Uh, no." Al rubbed his chin for a second. "It's a giant killer hippogriff film. I get eaten about a third of the way through. But it'll be memorable!"

"I'm sure."

For the next half hour there was minimal talk as the brothers completed their allotted job. When they'd finished Al walked over to his brother. The two of them had never been really close, but since they'd both left Hogwarts things had improved between them.

"So…" Al gave James a sidelong glance. "Can't remember her name?"

"Not exactly." James didn't say anything, but looked back towards the Burrow hesitantly. "Uh, nobody's coming out this way anytime soon, are they?" When he saw Al shrug James reached into his pocket and pulled out the pink bra.

"Oh, a trophy!"

"Merlin's saggy y-fronts, no!" James put the bra on the ground and pointed his wand at it. "_Incendio_!"

As the bra quickly disintegrated into ash Al laughed. "Good thing Mum didn't see that. I already got the talk. You know, the 'why can't your brother be more responsible' and 'why do I have to see pictures of him in _those_ magazines' bit. I hope your present can make her forget that.

"Oh fuck." James smacked himself on the forehead. "I went into the shop to buy Mum's present, but the girl behind the counter recognized me, and then we went out to eat, then to the club, and then…shit."

Al's laughter didn't die down right away. When he could finally speak he rubbed his eye for a moment. "I think I have a way out of this, but you're going to owe Lily. Both she and HR bought Mum presents. I bet if you're nice, and I know that's a stretch for you, I bet you could talk HR out of his and have her say that her present is from the both of them."

"Ugh, I _hate_ owing Lily. You remember what it was like when she was little."

"She's still little, just older." Al put his arm around his brother's shoulder. "And she's dating HR Boyd. You know what that could potentially mean, don't you? You'd be related to the man who gave you more detentions at Hogwarts than anybody else."

"She's too young for that." James pushed Al's hand off of his shoulder. "Besides, she's our little sister."

"True." Al looked at James in a very serious manner, trying to use the expression their father did when he was trying to make a very important point. "Maybe she'll date a Quidditch player. We both know what paragons of virtue they are. Wouldn't dream of anything improper. Upstanding young men who…"

"Oh go blow it out your arse, Hamlet."

-ooo-

At the end of the party James realized it could have gone much, much worse. He endured the mild responsibility talk from his mum, stood for the photos, and thanked all the stars above for his Uncle Ron. After all the preliminaries were done they had arrived at the true heart of any Weasley celebration, the food, and after grabbing a plate Ron had sat down next to him and between mouthfuls of food, and sometimes during mouthfuls of food, the current state of Puddlemere United and the Chudley Cannons was thoroughly discussed. Knowing Ron's preoccupation with the sport most family members steered clear, but that left a couple spots on the other side of the table open.

It was with a sense of relief that Hannah and Neville Longbottom sat opposite of them with their daughter. HR and Lily filled in the other spots at the table, so James felt thankful that he wasn't at the table with his parents and grandparents. Merlin only knew what that conversation was like, but more than anything James knew that his father would not discuss how he'd found James' flat that morning.

While Ron was running down the Bulgarian side for their lack of teamwork and rotten formations James heard something from the Longbottoms' conversation, a name. Talia Rauge. He leaned over the table.

"Did somebody say something about Talia Rauge?"

Alice Longbottom, fourteen years old, ducked her head. "I'm sorry. I forgot."

James smiled weakly. "No, no, it's ok. What of her?"

"I have tickets!" Alice's face lit up. "Me an' Virginia are going to go next week. It's going to be brilliant!"

After glancing over to see Neville's worried face James smiled at her. "She does put on a good show."

"Maybe you could owl her and see if Gin and I could have backstage passes?"

"Alice Cassandra Longbottom!" Hannah glared at her daughter. "You know better than that!"

James ran his hand through his hair. "Um, its ok, Mrs. Longbottom. Talia and I are still, um, friends. It wouldn't be a problem."

Alice dropped her fork on her plate. "I'll go get Gin and we'll write her a letter to send with yours!" Before anyone could say a word the brown-haired girl jumped up from the table, ran over to the table where the Boyds were eating and pulled her friend away.

James watched as the two girls ran into the Burrow and then turned to his former professor and his wife. "Really, its fine. She owes me; I got her manager tickets to the Ballycastle match a while back."

While Hannah still looked like she wanted to stun her daughter Neville kept a straight face, but his eyes betrayed his true emotions. Keeping the laugh away that wanted to erupt he took a breath and looked at James. "So, the article I read about how she hates you and has hired a hit wizard to take you out was a load of rubbish, then. I guess we can't always believe what we read."

"Pfffft." James rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, _Celebrity Wizard Weekly_, right? And why were you reading that?"

Neville shrugged. "Alice has a subscription.

-ooo-

It was late when James got back to his flat. He had spent the remainder of the evening, after the official party had ended, at a Muggle pub with his brother, Ted Lupin and Simon Wood. Besides playing for the Cannons Simon was married to his cousin Rose, and whenever the two of them got together there was a playful competitiveness. That competitiveness extended into all areas, including downing shot after shot of firewhiskey. Al had side-along Apparated him to his flat, dumped him on the doorstep and went back to Grimmauld to stay with their parents, so when James opened the door it was a very quiet, dark flat that waited.

He moved things about haphazardly, kicked of his shoes and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. After a sip of water he put the glass down and looked at his flat. Yes, it was in a very exclusive neighborhood, and yes, he'd spent quite a few Galleons furnishing it, and yes, due to his Quidditch career he lived a very exciting life according to the papers, but the reality was that he was drunk and alone. Simon had Rose to go home to while he had…a very nice sofa. Even his Gryffindor roommates were now getting married or seriously involved with women, while his love life was…temporary. Non-existent to some extent. Sure, there were women who were eager to get into his bed, but beyond that? Nothing.

It was in that drunken depression that the owl batted against his kitchen window. He let the bird in, rummaged around in the cabinet to find something to give the owl, and took the letter off of its leg as well as a small envelope. It took him a couple of tries to actually focus on the words of the letter, but eventually the text swam into focus.

_Jamie,_

_Tell your little friends that I would be happy to have them come backstage. I've enclosed front row tickets and backstage passes. Maybe I'll even find the time to talk to a famous Quidditch player._

_You've been playing quite well. I know Ballycastle will be a challenge, according to Bradley, but I'm sure you will have a plan for them as always. Do try to not break my manager's heart too badly, at least make it close._

_Talia_

James pushed his finger underneath the flap of the envelope and found the tickets as well as the backstage passes. On one of the passes he recognized Talia's writing. In blue ink on the pass the name Max Goodwand was written. He laughed, as that was the name that he'd used at the hotel register when they stayed in Venice.

As he wandered towards his bedroom James thought of how her bright blue hair would look in his dark flat. Maybe it wasn't too late for them to try again.


	2. The Show Must Go On

**Chapter 2: The Show Must Go On**

_August 17, 2024_

James Potter shook out his limbs from Disapparating and walked up to Colony House. Normally he liked coming there, as Professor Muggle and Melody were always welcoming and Hank was usually good for a few off-color comments and jokes, but this time it was different. Al's comment about Lily dating HR and all the detentions Hank had given him during Hogwarts played around one part of his brain while the other part was wholly fixated on the fact that he would see Talia again. Her letter seemed friendly enough, and that's what he told the Longbottoms that they were, just friends, but as he walked up to the door and started to knock he pulled his hand back for a moment.

The door opened without his knock, revealing Melody Boyd. "Oh thank Merlin you're here. I think Alice is about to send us all around the twist."

James' eyes went a little wide. "Uh, I was wondering, am I the only one..."

"Oh no, we wouldn't do that to you." Melody smiled. "Come in, come in."

James gave her a half-smiled and walked into Colony House. It looked like it always did, somewhat of a cross between his Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron's house and Professor Muggle's office at Hogwarts. He turned to Melody. "So who's coming with us, you or Professor Muggle?"

"Me." Hank walked around the kitchen counter, wiped his hands on a tea towel and tossed it on the table. "I lost."

Melody turned and fixed him with a pointed glare. "You didn't lose, you got caught smoking in the garden."

Hank winked at James. "Like I said, I lost." He adjusted his glasses. "So, Mr. Potter, ready to go sit out front with a bunch of screaming teenage girls?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess." He looked at his watch. "We need to be going soon, actually. Talia sent me an owl the other day, she, uh, wants us to stop in before the show. Just for a minute." He saw Hank's eyebrow raise. "It's no big fuss, she does it with the charity lot and her fan club."

Alice's scream of excitement caused everyone's nerves to jangle. The excited blonde girl ran up to James. "I get to meet her, really really really meet her?"

"Uh, yeah." James nodded. "But you can't freak out like that, ok? Screamers get shuffled off quick."

"Told you." Virginia Boyd walked in and sat down on the edge of the sofa. "Just think of her as somebody in the family, or maybe one of my cousins from the UMS. She's just a person, Allie."

James watch the conversation between the two girls and looked over to Hank. "Yeah, you lost."

Hank nodded. "Yep. Almost makes me feel bad for all those detentions I gave you." He clapped James on the shoulder. "Almost, you were a real pain in the ass. So how are we getting there?"

"Ah, yeah." James reached into his pocket and pulled out the backstage passes. "Portkey. Well, mine is, anyway. That's why we've got to be on time. Takes us right to the stadium."

Hank chuckled. "Can't believe they manage to do that, right in the middle of London, Wembley even, and nobody notices."

"Ready!" Alice stood at James' side, eyes shining. It was at that moment that James noticed that Alice had on a Talia Rouge tour t-shirt, that Hank looked like he was only doing this because he loves his daughter, and that Virginia was only doing it because she was Alice's best friend. It was also when James realized he was in for a very, very long night.

-ooo-

James had been right at the Burrow when he told Alice that Thalia put on a good show; it was the best one that he'd seen. Since they'd broken up, and he hadn't payed attention, she had more new songs and a lot more wardrobe changes. He'd also been right when he'd mentioned the screaming teenage girls, because the place had been full of them. He'd been on the outside of Alice and Virginia, Hank bookending the other side, smack dab in the middle of the front row. Thalia had been as good as her word on the tickets. She'd also been very kind to Alice and Virginia before the show and thankfully Alice had paid attention to his advice about the screamers.

As he sat backstage he felt as if he was back in time, as the surroundings were so familiar. Several stagehands and part of the crew who he'd known had stopped by to say hello, and even though it was somewhat awkward it was nice that they treated him like they always had, just like a regular part of their traveling carnival. Hank looked as if he was ready to quaff a gallon of firewhiskey, but he just sat there in his Ramones t-shirt and smiled at the girls' excitement.

And then she was there, a thin electric-pink robe over her shoulders, blue hair still damp from the shower, smiling at him.

"Max, so good of you to stop by."

He rolled his eyes. "You can stop with that stuff, Thalia. Everybody knows I'm not Max Goodwand. Horrible name, anyway."

"Of course it's horrible, that's why its funny." She glanced over her shoulder at Hank and the girls. "So your little friends..."

"Friends of the family. He was my Muggle Studies professor, that's his daughter with the dark hair. Blonde girl's her best friend and the daughter of my Headmaster."

"Such important company you keep. I think they're a little young for you, though."

"Piss off, Thal." He smiled at her, but the expression faded from his lips. "So, now what?"

"Well." She sat next to him on the small sofa. "You know how I get after a show."

Several memories flashed through James' memory. "Uh..."

"Hungry, you perv." She smacked him on the arm. "Can't eat before a show, you know that." She glanced over her shoulder. "Think they'd like to join us?"

James leaned back and saw Alice looking at him with eager anticipation. "Alice is gonna scream. Just warning you."

"Oh, I don't mind. She'll find out I'm boring soon enough."

"You were never boring, Thal." James regretted it the moment it left his lips.

"James..." She sighed. "I'm engaged."

"Really? Bloody hell, never expected that. Who?"

Thalia picked at her fingernails. "Bradley."

"Your manager?" He laughed. "That's a cliché, you know. Singer marrying the manager." After seeing the look in her eyes he checked his teasing immediately. "Are you happy, Thal?"

She nodded wordlessly.

James sat there for a moment, unsure of what to do. For a while, earlier that week, he had thought about asking Thalia if they could try again. He remembered the good times, but then, sitting there, he also remembered all the difficulties they had gone through, and how there hadn't been any lasting heat in their relationship. The blue of her hair reminded him of the little blue fires that his Aunt Hermione used to conjure in jars when they had stayed over with her and his Uncle Ron; they flashed brightly, but didn't put out much warmth and dissipated quickly. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Then I'm happy for you. Come on, go finish getting dressed and we'll take your biggest fans out to eat." He paused for a moment. "Want Bradley to come?"

She shook her head. "Not tonight. Maybe some other time."

"All right." James stood up. "Want to do that Thai place..."

"...with the awful décor?" She smiled. "Of course."

An hour later everyone sat in possibly the tackiest Thai restaurant in the world, seated in the back room with the privacy screen. The owners knew Thalia and James, of course, as they'd eaten there many times, and unfortunately they treated the two of them as a couple. Before James could say anything Hank broke the ice, asking them if he could smoke a pipe in their restaurant, and while the owners were vehemently denying Hank's request James looked over to his former professor and mouthed a silent 'thank you.'

Alice, of course sat next to Thalia. James held back when everyone took their seats, so he sat across from her. Actually, if he was honest with himself, in light of her announcement James was fine not sitting next to her. For a while he chatted with everyone, as normal, but then when the food arrived he found his Pad Thai the most interesting thing in the world. Back at the venue she was Thalia Rouge, but there, in the restaurant, wearing that engagement ring, he knew she was just Thalia Runequip, a Beauxbaton educated witch who liked her toast almost burnt, slept on her side and had told him that last time that she would always love him but that she wasn't in love with him. And now she was getting married, to Bradley, her manager, of all people. Bradley was a decent sort; really, if he was honest with himself, it made sense. It just didn't make it any easier.

Before he knew it their plates were being cleared from the table, Thalia posed for pictures with the girls and Hank tapped his watch. It was time. He stood up from the table, placed his napkin on the chair and heard someone call his name. Bradley Petersson, to be precise. He looked over at the impossibly blonde, boring looking guy and took a deep breath.

"Congrats, Bradley." He shook the man's hand. "I'm happy for you two."

Bradley held his hand for a moment longer, his eyes taking in James studiously. "You know, I think you really are."

"Yeah." James took back his hand and pushed it thorugh his messy hair. "Yeah, I am."

-ooo-

Hannah Longbottom was sitting up with Melody when they returned back to Colony House and, as expected, Alice and Virginia gave their mums a complete blow-by-blow of the experience, including their late meal. James stood there for a minute and then noticed Hank nodding towards the door, so he followed. As they made their way out to Hank's shed he didn't say a word. Finally, when they were safely inside with the door closed Hank went over to a toolbox, rustled around for a while and then pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

"Not a word, ok?" Hank looked at James who simply nodded. Hank lit the cigarette and exhaled. "I'm proud of you, James. You did a really good thing tonight."

James shrugged. "It was just a concert."

Hank shook his head. "That was a good thing but that's not what I'm talking about." He studied James for a moment and then turned to the little Muggle refrigerator under the bench, returning with two bottles of beer. "I'm talking about her. That couldn't have been easy. And you didn't say anything, but I saw the ring at the restaurant."

James took the beer, opened it and took a large drink. "Yeah. That was a surprise."

"I bet." Hank leaned against the workbench and didn't say anything for a long time. "Ok, look, James, I know I don't know you as well as Al, but I'm going to say a few things. Tell me if I'm wrong, ok? You were thinking about getting back together with her, weren't you? It crossed your mind."

James stood motionless for a few moments. "Yeah. It did."

"And you handled it better than I would have." Hank took another drag. "You're what, 19 now? James, you've got your whole life ahead of you. You're doing great at Puddlemere, at least that's what Ron tells me, you know I don't know shit about Quidditch."

A quick laugh escaped James. "You're Ron's biggest failure, you know. He was sure he could make you a Cannons fan."

"Yeah, well, I like watching, I just don't get it like...that's beside the point. You're a professional athlete. You're famous. And, well, you're Harry's oldest son. You're in the papers, everybody knows who you are. Now, don't bitch at me, I'm going somewhere with this, I know you don't give a shit about being famous. But with Thalia, somebody else who's in the public eye, you had someone else who wasn't a, what'd you call it? A screamer? Same thing. You knew that she didn't care about that crap because she knows what it's like to deal with that shit. Am I right so far?"

James looked at him and, after a few moments, nodded.

"Right." Hank took a swig of beer. "So even if you two weren't the best together, and I'm guessing that's the case because you two broke up and she's engaged to someone else, now you've got to start at square one with someone else and you can't be sure if they like you for you or because you're James Potter, Puddlemere United."

James snorted. "Or Harry Potter's oldest son." He ran a hand through his hair and then pointed at Hank. "Can I have one of those?"

"What?" Hank looked at his cigarette. "Are you kidding? You're a professional. Plus your mom would kill me."

"Professor...Hank, I'm 19. I've had a bloody awful night and..."

"Sure." Hank tossed him the pack and then the lighter. "I know what you mean. Been through a few of those nights myself." He watched as James lit the cigarette and then coughed like he was going to lose his head. "Just throw it down and step on it. And don't start, for Merlin's sake. Wished I wouldn't have."

"So why do you?"

"I just do."

"That doesn't make any sense." James shook his head.

"A lot of stuff doesn't make sense. Even when you get my age. Look, James, you can't always get what you want, but, sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need."

James stared at him for a bit and then nodded. "I guess."

"Don't take my word for it, those are Mick Jagger's words." He saw James' blank stare. "From the Rolling Stones. Shit, that's right, you didn't take Muggle Studies when I taught that." He watched James' face remain impassive. "I know it sucks right now, and trust me, it does suck, but things get better eventually. They do. I'm proof of that. You know all the bullshit that happened before I met Melody, right? Your dad ever tell you those stories?"

A smirk crept over James' face. "No. Uncle George."

"Figures." Hank took a last drag, tossed the cigarette on the floor and stubbed it out with his toe. "Well things got a lot better for me. I met Melody and things went from there. But James, your mom would be very proud of you. Tonight you not only made two girls' summer but you were the better man. You didn't act like a jealous twerp or, what's Ron always say? Oh yeah, an arse-faced fuckwit, you didn't act like that. You really are happy for her, aren't you?"

James stood there for a moment and then slowly nodded. "Yeah, I guess I am. She deserves to be happy. She goes through a lot of shite with the papers and everything."

"That can't have been easy. Gryffindor courage, right there." Hank looked at his watch. "Ok, this old fart better get inside, the twins will be up early as always. Oh, hey." He looked over his shoulder through the window to the house. "Light's still on. You wouldn't happen to know your Uncle Charlie's trick, would you? The one that can turn my mouth peppermint?"

"Nope." James watched his former professor's face fall. "I know the spearmint one. Open up." He took out his wand and flicked it at Hank's mouth. "We learn it for press conferences. Nobody wants to talk to a Quidditch player whose breath smells like a hippogriff's arse."

-ooo-

For the rest of the season James devoted himself to Quidditch, pouring all his energies into the game and preparing for matches. Puddlemere finished towards the top of the table, but not high enough to make the European Cups. He had endured the teasing from his teammates about the pictures of him with Thalia at the concert in August but that had ended when the announcement finally leaked about her engagement to Bradley. Suddenly Thalia became a non-topic in the Puddlemere dressing rooms.

He'd dated a witch from the Puddlemere offices for a bit, Katy, but it just didn't feel right. He kept thinking back to that conversation in Professor Muggle's shed and realized that Katy was more interested in James Potter, Puddlemere United than James Potter, person. One night, in a fit of weakness, he'd even succumbed to the allure of one of the Puddlemere 'girls,' one of the bunch that followed the team everywhere, the ones that always managed to show up at the bars after matches and somehow managed to find what hotel they stayed in during away matches. It didn't go well. After he'd informed her it was a one-night only thing, and a mistake, she went and blabbed to the press. To say that his mum and gran weren't pleased would be an understatement.

It was towards Christmas that he found himself sitting in his locker after practice, staring at nothing in particular, that something finally got his brain moving again. Someone, to be exact.

"Potter!" A hand smacked him lightly on the back of his head. "Do you have spell damage or are you just a mopey bastard?"

He turned around to see Fiona McDermott, Puddlemere Chaser, with her hands on her hips. "What did you do that for?"

"Because you're a mopey bastard, that's why! So Miss Blue Haired Big Tits got engaged, big deal. Plenty of more fish in the sea. Come on, get your arse dressed, I'm taking you out tonight."

"Uh..." James looked at her increduously. Not only was Fiona ten years older than he was, she was also gay. "I'm pretty sure I'm not your type."

"Bloody hell." Fiona rolled her eyes. "I said I was taking you out, not shagging your plums off, ya git. Come on, get dressed. You're doing nobody any good being like this."

James smiled, stood up and looked at her while he pulled off his training jersey. He smacked his flat stomach. "Oh come on, Fi, you can turn this down?"

"Men. Hairy monkeys who think they're God's gift." She reached over and tweaked James's chest. "Little flat for my taste, mate. Come on. You can thank me later."

-ooo-

A faint thumping began echoing in James head. He reached over, grabbed a pillow and stuck it over his head. He knew it was a bad idea to go out with Fiona, and now he was paying for it. At least he could sleep it off.

_Thump thump thump thump thump._

He took a deep breath and tried to focus. Was the downstairs neighbor playing drums? He didn't think old Mrs. Hughes would do that at her age.

_THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP_

James opened his eyes, closed them and then opened them again in the realization that it was someone at his door. He pulled the pillow off his head, sat up and realized he was severly and utterly hungover. After cursing Fiona and swearing to never go out with her again he carefully got off his bed, pulled the dressing gown off of the hook on the back of the door and started putting it on. He was almost to the door when he noticed Fiona and her partner, on a blanket on his floor, wearing mostly nothing.

The voice from behind the door was insistent and very familiar. "James! Open up, son!"

He glanced at Fiona and Jenny, realized it was impossible situation and decided to just go with it. He stepped over Fiona, went to the door and opened it up partially. "Hi Dad."

"James." Harry shook his head and held up the morning edition of _The Daily Prophet's_ society page. "Can you explain this?"

"Yep." James nodded, opened the door and walked towards his kitchen.

Harry walked in, ready to shout, and noticed the two mostly-naked women on James' floor. "Fucking hell, Jamie." His voice wasn't loud, but full of disappointment.

"You sound like Professor Muggle." James pulled a ready-made protein shake from the refrigerator and popped the top. "Don't worry, I won't tell Mum."

Harry stood there for a moment, opened his mouth to say something and then shook his head. When James pointed to a seat at the kitchen table he joined him without saying a word and cast a silencing spell around the table.

James took the paper out of his father's hand, looked at the picture and nodded. "Doesn't say where we were, does it?"

After taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose Harry took a deep breath. "I've already had five owls this morning. Five. You were in the paper with three women, one of them on your lap. I thought after that one with the tattoo on her arse that..."

James held up a hand to stop his father and extended the paper towards him. "And I haven't, Dad. Look at that picture and tell me if you recognize where we were. Don't look at me, don't look at the women, do your Auror bit and look at the place and tell me if you recognize it."

Harry put on his glasses again and took the paper from his son. After a few minutes a light of recognition flashed. "The Wickedest Witch? Why were you in a lesbian bar?"

"Them, that's why. Actually, Fiona." James pointed to the sleeping couple on his floor. "That's Fiona in my lap, you couldn't see her face for her hair, and I'm guessing that's why they used that picture. Everyone knows Fiona's with Jenny." He took another drink from the protein shake. "Fiona dragged me out, said I was moping around the locker room and, uh, what was it? Oh yeah, 'disrupting team chemistry' or something. I actually had a good night. Few too many, but I think..."

"James." Harry shook his head. "Jamie, do you know what your Gran said...no, I'll let you hear that on Sunday. She's having a big dinner and of course you're coming." He leaned back over his shoulder and looked at the two women. "Put a blanket over them, for Merlin's sake!"

"Eh." James shrugged. "Fi doesn't care who sees what in the locker room, and she's the one...ok, fine." He got up, grabbed his wand off of the counter, transfigured a tea-towel into a blanket and lowered it over the couple. After making his way back to his table he sat down. "Better?"

"What am I going to tell your mum? She about came unglued."

"Honestly?" James sat with his chin propped up in his hand. "That they pulled me out of a funk. Do you know how nice it was to go out with women and not have to worry that any of them wanted to end up in my bed? They aren't in my bed, Dad, and honestly they brought me home. I slept in my bed, alone. They were both too squiffy to Apparate and we've been given strict instructions by the Puddlemere staff to _not_ take the Night Bus. Makes the papers. They listened to me talk about Thalia, and Fi knows what it's like, trying to find someone who doesn't just want to be with you because you're a Quidditch player or..."

"Famous." Harry nodded. "I know what that's like, Jamie. You could have asked me."

"That's not always so easy, Dad. You're already disappointed with me because of the stuff in the papers and the magazines, not to mention Mum."

"We're disappointed you're in the papers, Jamie, not with you. Well, your Mum and I have had a few late night talks, and..." He ran his hand through his hair. "Listen, son, we just want you to be happy. Don't throw it all away over some tart who just wants to be Mrs. Potter because of your name."

"That's why I went out with them." James nodded towards the floor. "And Fi wouldn't listen when I told her I didn't want to go. Said it was time I got the broomstick out of my arse over Thalia and start living."

Harry looked at his son for a long moment. "It hurt, didn't it?"

James closed his eyes. "More than I ever thought. Still does, kinda."

"Well, do me a favor, next time, please? Try not to end up in the papers and with naked women on your floor." He quickly added, before James could speak. "Or in your bed. Or, for Merlin's sake, if that does happen, please..."

"Godric's bits, Dad, we're not having this talk again, are we? You're not going to do the diagrams again, please. That scarred me enough as it is."

Harry chuckled, remembering his oldest son's mortification. "No, I think you know well enough how that works, and please don't tell me anything more than I need to know. Between you, your brother being an actor and Lily and HR I'm going to go grey any day now."

"Not to mention Mum and Gran."

"Shut it." Harry scooted the chair back carefully, as to not make a sound. "Ok, I'll take care of your mum. It wouldn't hurt to show up for dinner some night and maybe talk to her. She thinks you're..."

"Shagging everything in sight?"

"Pretty much." Harry sighed. "You know her, she always jumps to the worst possible scenario. When you're involved, anyway."

"Maybe I'll get married. Would that calm her down?" James hid his smile with his hand.

Harry pointed a finger at his son. "One of these days, Jamie, people will actually believe what comes out of your mouth when you say things like that." He stood up and then turned back. "Please don't do that. If you ran off and got married without your mum being there I think she'd, she'd..."

James laughed. "Merlin's bits, Dad. I may be a Gryffindor but I'm not that brave."

"Right." Harry looked over at the sleeping couple. "And I definitely won't tell your mum about this. I was in Gryffindor, too, but there's a difference between bravery and sheer stupidity."


End file.
